For Pete's sake, learn what a machine is.

Public ignorance is making me cry

Replica of a Petraria Arcatinus, image from Wikimedia Commons

Ok. Much of the public, even the "technically aware" public, is completely brainwashed into an anthropomorphic mindset, and businesses not only have zero interest in getting anyone out of it but are invested in KEEPING people confused. The public needs a basic LESSON.

Machine 101: What is a machine what does it do?
A machine is a collection of assemblages (discrete manufactured PARTS) that takes loads (electrical / mechanical etc) and transfer them to do work.

What does a machine NOT do?
A machine doesn't have an "internal representation" of anything. Zero, zilch, nada. What you see as "variables" and "statements" in a program only has meaning to YOU, the person looking at the program. It doesn't have any meaning "to" the machine.

EXAMPLE
Here's a catapult (see pic of one above.) Programming a catapult involves adjusting pivot points, tensions, and counterweights. The programming language of a catapult is contained within the positioning of the pivots, the amount of tension, the amount of counterweight, and so on. Does the catapult know "here is a rock, and when someone pulls on a lever I'm supposed to fling that rock in my basket... etc etc etc?" NO. It only "sees" the mechanical stress applied to its various parts, and only in the purely reactive sense (meaning it doesn't "feel" anything.) It doesn't "understand" any "rock," "basket," "lever," or whatever else is there. That goes for any and ALL machines, no matter how complex or sophisticated they appear to be, or if they even display anything or spit out any sound or text like "I'm a helpful assistant that's designed to help you." There isn't any "awareness" of anything whatsoever in there. You may see a machine as aware of something, but it most definitely isn't.

What's NOT a machine? A living entity is NOT a machine. As soon as you grow a blade of grass it's not a machine already; Check the dictionary definition if you're not sure. There's no "disassembling" a living organism... They're not made of manufactured parts, so you're going to end up CUTTING or TEARING tissue one way or the other if you even try. Not to mention living organisms are NOT designed; The process of evolution isn't that of design unless you're fielding an Intelligent Design argument, and even then it's not _human_ design. See definition of an "artifact".

Good grief, the sheer amount of ignorance perpetuated is utterly dismaying.